Food intermediate having sequestered phytosteryl esters in a polysaccharide matrix

ABSTRACT

The present invention is related to a novel food intermediate containing a phytosteryl esters complex and the method used to create the food intermediate. The food product provides beneficial hypocholesterolemic activity through increased cholesterol-uptake inhibition while simultaneously delivering a food product that is not adversely affected by its inclusion, either in taste or texture or in any undesirable side effects.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] None.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention is related to a novel food intermediatecontaining phytosteryl esters complex and the method used to create thefood intermediate. The food product provides beneficialhypocholesterolemic activity through cholesterol-uptake inhibition whilesimultaneously delivering a food product, which is not adverselyaffected by its inclusion, either in taste or texture or in anyundesirable side effects.

[0003] There is a large amount of information in circulation todayconcerning elevated cholesterol levels and the health consequences dueto that condition. In an effort to combat this result, a number ofpharmaceutical applications, dietary supplements and other solutionsrelating to the treatment of high cholesterol levels have beenpreviously introduced. However, regrettably, many of these products havean unpleasant mouth feel, that is they can feel slimy, have adispleasing taste or result in undesirable side effects which diminishestheir overall value to the intended end user.

[0004] In addition, there also appears to be a growing disdain againstingesting some sort of dietary supplement, pharmaceutical treatment orother product to attain some perceived beneficial effect from suchproducts. This may be due to a growing reliance on pills or tablets tosustain or maintain our health. Such reliance on supplements may alsosurprisingly contribute to malnutrition as other valuable vitamins andminerals can be omitted or overlooked when too much focus is diverted tocertain items. Moreover, certain supplements may actually removevaluable macronutrients and micronutrients from the system. Individualsmay also be concerned with potential risks and side effects associatedwith certain medications, treatments or supplements. In fact, dietaryrestrictions and other health concerns may preclude certain portions ofthe population from even consuming such products. As such, there remainsa continuing interest in developing good tasting, well balanced, foodproducts that contribute to a well balanced diet as well as provide avehicle by which to deliver the benefit of cholesterol reduction in apalatable and efficient manner to meet the changing needs of thepopulation.

[0005] Cholesterol in humans is known to come from primarily twosources, the body's own production of cholesterol (endogenous) anddietary cholesterol (exogenous). Lipoproteins contain specific proteinsand varying amounts of cholesterol, triglycerides and phospholipids.

[0006] Bile acids are synthesized from cholesterol in the liver and thensecreted into the intestines. Reducing the level of bile acidreabsorption facilitates the maintenance of a healthy cholesterol level.One method for reducing bile acid reabsorption is achieved by increasingthe gut viscosity. Alternatively, a non-digestible dietary component,which binds bile acids secreted in the proximal jejunum, will reducebile acid reabsorption in the lower intestines (distal ileum).

[0007] There are three major classes of lipoproteins and they includevery low-density lipoproteins (“VLDL”), low-density lipoproteins (“LDL”)and high-density lipoproteins (“HDL”). The LDLs are believed to carryabout 60-70% of the serum cholesterol present in an average adult. TheHDLs carry around 20-30% of serum cholesterol with the VLDL havingaround 1-10% of the cholesterol in the serum. To calculate the level ofnon-HDL cholesterol present (find the level of LDL or VLDL levels),which indicates risk; the HDL is subtracted from the total cholesterolvalue.

[0008] Typically, the average person consumes between 350-400 milligramsof cholesterol daily, while the recommended intake is around 300milligrams. Increased dietary cholesterol consumption, especially inconjunction with a diet high in saturated fat intake, can result inelevated serum cholesterol. Having an elevated serum cholesterol levelis a well-established risk factor for heart disease and therefore thereis a need to mitigate the undesired effects of cholesterol accumulation.High cholesterol levels are generally considered to be those totalcholesterol levels at 200 milligrams and above or LDL cholesterol levelsat 130 milligrams and above. By lowering the total system LDLcholesterol level, it is believed that certain health risks, such ascoronary disease and possibly some cancers, that are typicallyassociated with high cholesterol levels, can be reduced by not aninsignificant amount.

[0009] Numerous studies relating to modifying the intestinal metabolismof lipids have been done to illustrate that such effects can reduce ahigh cholesterol level. Hampering the absorption of triglycerides,cholesterol or bile acids or a combination of these items results in alowering of cholesterol levels in the serum.

[0010] It has been suggested that phytosterols specifically displacecholesterol from the micelles in the small intestine (micelles areamphiphyllic droplets secreted from the liver through the bile ductsinto the small intestine). Micelles are composed primarily of bileacids, phosphatidyl choline, and lipids and are responsible for thesolubilization of fats and cholesterol from ingested food. Micelles arereabsorbed by the body along with the solubilized fats and cholesterol.Phytosterols displace cholesterol from the micelles and thus decreasecholesterol uptake and the concomitant serum cholesterol levels of theorganism. In humans the phytosterols that are taken up with the micellesare transported back into the intestine where it is excreted.

[0011] Soluble dietary fiber is known to be a safe ingredient due to itslong history in food supply. Soluble fiber typically remains undigested,except by colonic microflora present in the lower intestines. Solubledietary fiber is believed to have a beneficial effect in the reductionof high serum cholesterol levels and reducing the risk associated withsuch elevated levels. In addition, soluble dietary fiber can have theadditional beneficial effect of reduced constipation and improvedregularity. However, too much fiber in the diet can create undesirablegastrointestinal side effects such as flatulence, diarrhea, andabdominal cramps, etc. leading consumers to stay away from food productsthat contain too much dietary fiber, regardless of any associated healthbenefits. While some consumers may not completely avoid such products,they also do not typically regularly use such products due to theproblems enumerated above or alternatively, or in combination due to theunpleasant taste of such products. This illustrates some of the problemswith prior solutions that were aimed at providing high fiber dietsdirected at lowering cholesterol levels, and highlights the need tocreate a more balanced solution that fits not only within more normaldietary patterns but also meets consumer demand for better tasting,healthy products.

[0012] There are a number of other products purporting to havecholesterol-lowering properties available in the market today. One suchproduct offering or solution is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,136,349which relates to a food product, food additive or the like that may befortified with a select group of minerals, such as calcium, magnesium orpotassium which when combined with conventional sterols and/or stanolsincreases the effect of the sterols and/or stanols in loweringcholesterol levels than with just sterols an/or stanols alone. However,significantly increasing only certain nutrients and minerals whileignoring others can result in over consumption or under consumption ofessential nutrients because some nutrients are present in very highconcentrations while other nutrients are present in very lowconcentrations. This creates a nutritionally unbalanced situationcausing the consumer to either procure the missing macro and/ormicronutrients through other food sources or omit them from their dietaltogether. In addition to not receiving the DV (Daily Value) of certainnutrients, this may force the consumer into an over compensation modecausing the consumer to ingest more food than is actually necessarythereby defeating the purpose of such cholesterol-lowering foods, andpotentially create other problems such as weight gain.

[0013] Another possible solution is described in U.S. Pat. No.6,174,560, which relates to a food composition for lowering low-densitycholesterol levels (LDL) and focuses on the use of at least one stanolfatty acid ester in combination with a nutritional substance. Theapplicants of U.S. Pat. No. 6,174,560 however indicates that increasingthe amount of fiber to reduce serum cholesterol levels has been of alimited effect and citing that fiber that is delivered intherapeutically effective doses, such as with pharmaceuticalapplications, can cause extreme abdominal discomfort. This providesanother singular example of a particular element or component beingrelied upon for a health effect but still ignoring the combinedbeneficial effects of the present invention as well as the ability todeliver the food product in an acceptable manner.

[0014] U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,887 describes the use of stanols as foodadditives to reduce cholesterol absorption. In the preparation of theadditives, sitostanol is dissolved with an edible solubilizing agentsuch as triglyceride, an antioxidant such as tocopherol, and adispersant such as lecithin, polysorbate 80, or sodium lauryl sulfate.However, no data is provided in the selection of the most effectivecomponents and their amounts or specific methods of preparation.Effectiveness in reducing cholesterol absorption was also notdetermined. The preferred embodiment consisted of 25% by weight stanolsin vegetable oil, but the solubility of sterols in oil is only 2%.

[0015] One of the difficulties in attempting to deliver phytosterols ina food intermediate is that the phytosterols may be oxidized orotherwise degraded during the cooking process, thus destroying thebeneficial properties of including such components in food. In order toovercome this drawback, manufacturers have attempted to manipulate thecooking/processing cycles however, this results in producing productswhich do not have the same quality as other products that were createdusing well established processes.

[0016] Therefore, what is needed is an effective method of deliveringphytosterols in a food product in order to obtain the beneficialhypocholesterolemic activity associated with such ingredients.

[0017] Publications, patents and patent applications are referred tothroughout this disclosure. All references cited herein are herebyincorporated by reference.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0018] In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, a foodintermediate having enhanced cholesterol-uptake inhibition is describedand comprises a polysaccharide and a phytosterol based component. Thephytosterol-based component is bound in a matrix with the polysaccharideto create a complex containing the phytosterol based component and thepolysaccharide. The food intermediate contains the complex.

[0019] In another embodiment of the present invention, a method ofmaking a food intermediate having enhanced cholesterol-uptake inhibitionis described and comprises the steps of, providing a source ofpolysaccharide having a chain length ranging between 5 to 1,000,000glucose units. A phytosterol based component is provided and then thepolysaccharides and phytosterol based component are mixed together. Themixture is then heated to create a complex containing the phytosterolbased component bound to the polysaccharides. Finally, the complex isadded to other pre-selected ingredients to make a food intermediate.

[0020] In a still further embodiment of the present invention, a complexfor delivering phytosterols and fatty acid derivatives thereof(phytosteryl esters) for inclusion into a food intermediate havingbeneficial cholesterol-uptake inhibition, is described and comprises, asource of polysaccharides obtained from a grain. The complex alsoincludes a source of a phytosterol based component which is mixed withthe source of polysaccharides. In order to form the complex, the mixturecontaining the source of polysaccharides and the phytosterol basedcomponent is heated to bind the phytosterol based component to thesource of polysaccharides to create a complex having enhancedcholesterol-uptake inhibition.

[0021] In a further embodiment of the present invention, a method ofcommunicating a benefit associated with a food intermediate havingenhanced cholesterol-uptake inhibition, is disclosed and comprises thesteps of initially obtaining results from a study using a foodintermediate incorporated into a food product having a complex createdby mixing and heating a phytosterol based component with apolysaccharide. Then producing a draft message concerning the results ofthe study and finally imaging the message on a product packageindicating that a diet which includes the food intermediate containingthe complex results in a amount of cholesterol reduction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] The forgoing, as well as other objects and advantages of thisinvention, will be more completely understood and appreciated byreferring to the following more detailed description of the presentlypreferred exemplary embodiments of the invention in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, of which:

[0023]FIG. 1 is a gas chromatograph illustrating sterol standards; and

[0024]FIG. 2 is a graph showing the correlation of the level of steroldetermined by the prior method to the amylopectin content of cookeddoughs.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025] The embodiments of the present invention described below are notintended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise formsdisclosed in the following detailed description. Rather, the embodimentsare chosen and described so that others skilled in the art mayappreciate and understand the principles and practices of the presentinvention.

[0026] Sterols occur in natural fats and oils, particularly in vegetableoils. Unsaturated vegetable oils and non-animal fat oils, such assoybean oil, wheat germ oil, cottonseed oil, safflower oil, peanut oil,rice oil, canola oil and the like are well known sources ofβ-sitosterol, stigmasterol, ergosterol and campesterol as well asvarious other materials such as higher aliphatic alcohols. Tall oil isalso a significant source of β-sitosterol and campesterol.

[0027] Stanols (β-sitostanol, campestanol, stigmastanol and fatty acidderivatives thereof) are the 5 alpha saturated derivatives of plantsterols and may be derived from similar sources set forth above.

[0028] Natural plant sterols are similar structurally to cholesterolexcept in the arrangement of the basic side chains. Absorption of plantsterols in the intestines is believed to be minimal at best andsterols/steroids are generally excreted in the stool. Thus, the levelsof plant sterols in the serum remain relatively low since they areminimally absorbed by the body and are generally quickly excreted. Wherethe amount of sterols is increased in an effort to obtain greaterbeneficial or health effects, the sterols still do not increasesignificantly in amount in the blood serum as the absorption capability,however limited it may be, is quickly exceeded. As such, by includingsterol related or containing compounds in food products, foodingredients, food intermediates and food components, the level ofcholesterol-uptake is inhibited while the level of sterols in the bloodserum is not significantly elevated and hence, due to reduced uptake,cholesterol levels decrease.

[0029] Polysaccharides, which comprise a number of glucose units linkedtogether in a polymer fashion to form chains of varying length, as usedherein have a chain length ranging between 5 to 1,000,000 glucose units,preferably 5,000 to 500,000 units and more preferably from 20,000 to100,000 glucose units. Exemplary polysaccarides include starches,cellulose and glycogen.

[0030] Pectins are polymeric chains of partially methylated galacturonicacids that possess the ability to form a gel in water. A preferredpolysaccharide of the present invention is amylopectin which is branchedmolecule.

[0031] Another preferred polysaccharide is beta glucan, particularlygrain beta glucans (oats and barley), which are a known source ofdietary fiber and have been included in food products that are used inweight control (beta glucans used as fat substitutes) and as cholesterollowering additives. Beta glucans are obtained from milled cereal grainssuch as oats and barley (waxy, hulless barley being a particularly goodsource) in a manner discussed above and are then extracted from themilled grains into warm water and then the solids are removed from thesolution.

[0032] Beta glucan is a naturally occurring polysaccharide that can befound, in the cell walls of cereal grains. Beta glucan, or beta 1-4/1-3glucosyl pyranose polymer, is a chain of (1-4) and (1-3) linked glucosemolecules that is staggered, having a beta (1-3) linkage after 4-6 beta(1-4) linkages. This results in a laminated macromolecule. This generalbeta glucan structure will continue for 20,000 to 100,000 glucose units.The laminations allow water molecules to fit between the beta (1-4)layers which allows beta glucan to hydrate.

[0033] The beta glucans that are used in this invention can be naturallyoccurring or be chemically or enzymatically modified by altering thespecific linkages. Methods for extracting and purifying beta glucan, forexample, from the cell walls of cereal grains, have been developed andan exemplary method is described in commonly assigned application Ser.No. 10/067,016 filed Feb. 4, 2002 the disclosure of which including thatfound in the claims is incorporated herein by reference.

[0034] In a preferred embodiment, a starch containing food product, suchas a ready to eat (“RTE”) cereal is prepared in a conventional manner.Examples of RTE cereals include CHEERIOS® and WHEATIES® available fromGeneral Mills, Minneapolis, Minn.

[0035] Food intermediates such as dough, comprise a mixture of a flourand a liquid component (e.g. water). Such doughs can also optionallyinclude a broad variety of other ingredients, as is generally known(e.g. salt, seasoning, leaving agents, etc.). Dough can be used to makea broad variety of food products, for example, ready to eat cereals,snack foods, breads, rolls, other assorted baked goods, and a variety ofother foods.

[0036] The flour or meal used to make a dough intermediate arepreferably grain based flours or meals that contribute to the structure,texture, taste and appearance of the dough. The flour or meal can bebased upon a broad variety of grains, for example, oat, wheat, corn,rice, rye, barley, mixtures thereof, and other such flours or meals andmixtures thereof. In some examples, the flour or meal can be de-fatted,but such embodiments are not necessarily preferred. Preferably, theflour or meal is oat, wheat or corn based, for example an oat, corn orwheat flour. More preferably, the oat based flour is used.

[0037] Additional optional ingredients can be used to modify theproperties of the dough, such as the taste, texture, structure, andappearance of the dough. Examples of such additional ingredients includefats or shortening agents, surfactants/emulsifiers, hydrocolloids,salts, sugars and other sweeteners, dough developing agents, textureagents, enzymes, fillers, eggs, leavening agents, flavor enhancingadditives, coloring additives, nutritional supplements, preservatives,mold inhibitors and other such ingredients.

[0038] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, oat flour isused and is essentially beat-treated oat groats (hulled, crushed oats)or rolled oats that are ground on a hammer mill or other smooth rolls.There is no separation of the components during the processing of theflour.

[0039] The phyotosterols, which are selected the group consisting ofβ-sitosterol, stigmasterol, ergosterol and campesterol, and fatty acidderivatives thereof, are bound in a complex with the polysaccharide,preferably, amylopectin, by heating the phytosterol/phytosteryl ester ina mixture containing the polysaccharide. The complex may then be driedby a number of known methods and is then added to the flour that is thenprocessed into the dough. Thus, the complex created by the presentinvention forms an effective delivery vehicle for phytosterols and theiresters.

[0040] With reference to the term “mixture” as used herein, the mixturecan be made in an aqueous solution or simply by mixing the phytosterolsand/or phytosteryl esters together with the polysaccharide with no othersubstances creating a “neat” mixture.

[0041] In one example, amylopectin and β-sitosterol oleate are added toan aqueous solution. The solution is heated/cooked in order to create abound steryl-ester that is generally inaccessible to extraction andsaponification.

[0042] By creating a complex between the phytosterols andpolysaccharides in this manner, it has been found that the phytosterolsdo not undergo the degradation or oxidation where the phytosterols areadded separately and remain generally uncomplexed during the processingof the food intermediate. Thus, the sequestered steryl ester will bedelivered to the location in the gut where it will be most efficacious.On entry to the small intestine, the complex is exposed to micelleswhich mimic the action of an organic solvent. It is presumed that thedisplacement of the sterol ester from the complex that provides theenhanced bile acid binding capacity and hence the cholesterol loweringbenefit.

[0043] Surprisingly, it has been found that the complex formed by theinstant invention does not adversely affect the taste or texture of theproduct into which it is being incorporated. In addition, it is believedthat the complex of the present invention provides an improved mouthfeel and texture to the product in which it is used. This represents animprovement over prior solutions that have appeared or tasted slimy.

[0044] In the present invention, between 1 and 10 grams of sterols areprovided per serving in the above-described matrix and more preferably,about 2-6 grams per 30 gram serving, or approximately 10 to 20% byweight. Where the serving size is approximately 55 grams, the amount ofsterols per serving would be in the range of roughly 3 to 12 grams.Obviously, other derivations are possible.

[0045] For the presently described exemplary embodiment RTE cereal is inthe form of flakes that are created by using a cereal dough as preparedabove and then forming the cooked cereal dough into pellets that have adesired moisture content. The pellets are then formed into wet flakes bypassing the pellets through chilled roller and then subsequentlytoasting or heating the wet cereal flakes. The toasting causes a finaldrying of the wet flakes, resulting in slightly expanded and crisp RTEcereal flakes. The flakes are then screened for size uniformity. Thefinal flake cereal attributes of appearance, flavor, texture, interalia, are all affected by the selection and practice of the stepsemployed in their methods of preparation. For example, to provide flakecereals having a desired appearance feature of grain bits appearing onthe flakes, one approach is to topically apply the grain bits onto thesurface of the flake as part of a coating that is applied aftertoasting. Macronutrients and micronutrients may be provided during themanufacturing process to add essential vitamins and minerals to theproduct to create a well balanced, nutritionally complete meal.

[0046] In order to determine the amount of sterols, stanols, sterylesters, fatty acid derivatives or combinations thereof which are presentin the sample and those that have been subsequently recovered by usingby using a method set forth in commonly assigned application Ser. No.10/______ filed Jun. __, 2002 the disclosure of which including thatfound in the claims is incorporated herein by reference, the sample issubjected to gas chromatography. FIG. 1, illustrates the standard peaksfor sterols.

[0047] Cooked starch-containing dough samples with increasingconcentrations of amylopectin and fixed amounts of added steryl esterswere assayed using the process described in the above referencedapplication.

[0048] The following table lists the results of exemplary RTE cerealsamples prepared in connection with the process set forth above, whichwere tested after using the process described in the above referencedapplication. Example A lists values obtained using the preferred assayprocess identified in the above application. TABLE 1 SterolDeterminations Sample Name Sterol Target Example A Batch Flake 2.00 2.05± 0.16 Clinical James Flake 4.10 3.93 ± 0.2 James Flake 1715 3.00 3.04 ±0.12 James Flake 1915 3.20 3.14 ± 0.05 HSE FIake 11001 2.50 2.53 ± 0.01LSE Flake 12501 2.00 2.09 ± 0.05

[0049] Turning now to table 2 in which the first column represents thesample being tested. In this table, in addition to RTE cereals (batchflake and clinical test), a dough, which may be used for breads,muffins, rolls and other baked goods is also tested. The second columnrepresent the sterol related compound based target (the amount of sterolin the food intermediate prior to processing), the third column measuresthe sterol present in the sample by using the process described in theaforementioned application and the fourth column represents the percentdifference between the second and third columns. TABLE 2 SterolDeterminations Sample Name Sterol Target Test A % Difference BrabenderVar 1 2.32 2.38 ± 0.03 2.6 Brabender Var 2 3.08 3.08 ± 0.14 2.0Brabender Var 3 3.71 3.98 ± 0.21 7.2 Barbender Var 4 4.46 4.50 ± 0.060.8 James Flake 2.94 3.09 ± 0.16 5.1

[0050] It is believed that each of the foregoing tables illustrate thesignificant improvement of recovery of sterol related compounds fromstarch-containing food products or food components, when such starchcontaining compounds are bound in a polysaccharide complex, such as withamylopectin.

[0051] To illustrate the binding of phytosterol/phytosteryl ester to theamylopectin of starch, a fixed amount of phytosteryl esters was mixedwith different starches of increasing amylopectin composition. FIG. 2demonstrates that when the old industry standard sterol assay is used toassay the sterol content of the resulting dried doughs, the amount ofsterol recovered was directly proportional to the amylopectin content ofthe starch. This indicates that an amylopectin-steryl ester complex isbeing formed which prevents phytosterol recovery by the old assaymethod.

[0052] Of course, regardless of the benefit provided by a productoffering, if the product offering is not packaged in an aestheticallyappealing manner or the product itself does not convey a suitablemessage, all the research and development, marketing, production, etc.is for naught, as the consumer will simply not purchase the product.Thus, it is important to communicate the value of the food intermediateof the present invention to the intended consumers.

[0053] In the present invention, the food intermediate was incorporatedinto a final food product. That food product may be an RTE cereal, meal,baked goods, such as rolls, biscuits or breads, snack foods or the like.That product is then introduced into a clinical or other study duringwhich the food product is provided to a number of test participants.During the study, the participants ingest the food product, are weighed,submit biological samples answer questionnaires about the product andprovide other useful information. Once the study is complete, theresults are collected and presumably, the benefit of the food product isconfirmed.

[0054] Once the results of the study are known, then a communicationmessage is drafted. The message will be prepared in connection with whatis permissible in light of the various regulatory guidelines, GenerallyRecognized as Safe (GRAS) status and other relevant criteria. Once themessage has been developed it is then printed or imaged on the productpacking or communicated via other advertising media to alert theconsumers to the benefit of the product. Suitable advertising means mayinclude print, such as newspapers, magazines, journals and otherpublications, audio and/or visual means such as radio and television,free sampling and the like.

[0055] While the invention has been described in connection with what ispresently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment,it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to thedisclosed embodiment, but on the contrary, is intended to cover variousmodifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit andscope of the appended claims.

1. A food intermediate having enhanced cholesterol-uptake inhibition,comprising; a polysaccharide; a phytosterol based component which isbound in a matrix with said polysaccharide creating a complex containingsaid phytosterol and said polysaccharide; and said food intermediatecontaining said complex.
 2. A food intermediate having enhancedcholesterol-uptake inhibition as recited in claim 1, wherein said foodintermediate is a grain based dough.
 3. A food intermediate havingenhanced cholesterol-uptake inhibition as recited in claim 2, whereinsaid gain based dough is used to make an RTE cereal.
 4. A foodintermediate having enhanced cholesterol-uptake inhibition as recited inclaim 1, wherein said polysaccharide is beta glucan.
 5. A foodintermediate having enhanced cholesterol-uptake inhibition as recited inclaim 1, wherein said polysaccharide is amylopectin.
 6. A foodintermediate having enhanced cholesterol-uptake inhibition as recited inclaim 1, wherein said phytosterol based component is selected from thegroup consisting of β-sitosterol, stigmasterol, ergosterol, campesteroland fatty acid derivatives thereof and β-sitostanol, campestanol,stigmastanol and fatty acid derivatives thereof.
 7. A food intermediatehaving enhanced cholesterol-uptake inhibition as recited in claim 1,wherein said complex is created by heating said phytosterol basedcomponent in a mixture containing said polysaccharide.
 8. A foodintermediate having enhanced cholesterol-uptake inhibition as recited inclaim 7, wherein said mixture is an aqueous solution.
 9. A foodintermediate having enhanced cholesterol-uptake inhibition as recited inclaim 2, wherein said grain based dough is used to make bread.
 10. Amethod of making a food intermediate having enhanced cholesterol-uptakeinhibition, comprising the steps of; providing a source ofpolysaccharide having a chain length ranging between 5 to 1,000,000glucose units; providing a source of a phytosterol based component;preparing a mixture containing said source of polysaccharides; addingsaid phytosterol based component to said mixture; heating said mixtureto create a complex containing phytosterols bound to saidpolysaccharides; and adding said complex to other pre-selectedingredients to make a food intermediate.
 11. A method of making a foodintermediate having enhanced cholesterol-uptake inhibition as recited inclaim 10, wherein said phytosterol based component is selected from thegroup consisting of β-sitosterol, stigmasterol, ergosterol, campesteroland fatty acid derivatives thereof and β-sitostanol, campestanol,stigmastanol and fatty acid derivatives thereof.
 12. A method of makinga food intermediate having enhanced cholesterol-uptake inhibition asrecited in claim 10, wherein said food intermediate is a grain baseddough.
 13. A method of making a food intermediate having enhancedcholesterol-uptake inhibition as recited in claim 10, wherein saidpolysaccharide is beta glucan.
 14. A method of making a foodintermediate having enhanced cholesterol-uptake inhibition as recited inclaim 10, wherein said polysaccharide is amylopectin.
 15. A method ofmaking a food intermediate having enhanced cholesterol-uptake inhibitionas recited in claim 10, comprising the further step of drying saidcomplex prior to adding said complex to pre-selected ingredients to makethe food intermediate.
 16. A method of making a food intermediate havingenhanced cholesterol-uptake inhibition as recited in claim 10, whereinsaid mixture is formed in an aqueous solution.
 17. A method of making afood intermediate having enhanced cholesterol-uptake inhibition asrecited in claim 10 wherein said mixture is a neat mixture.
 18. Acomplex for delivering phytosterols and fatty acid derivatives thereoffor inclusion into a food intermediate having enhancedcholesterol-uptake inhibition, comprising; a source of polysaccharidesobtained from a grain; a source of a phytosterol based component; anmixture containing said source of polysaccharides and said phytosterolbased component; and wherein said mixture containing said source ofpolysaccharides and said phytosterol based component is heated to bindsaid phytosterol based component to said source of polysaccharides tocreate a complex having enhanced cholesterol-uptake inhibition.
 19. Acomplex for delivering phytosterols and fatty acid derivatives thereoffor inclusion into a food intermediate having enhancedcholesterol-uptake inhibition as recited in claim 18, wherein saidsource of polysaccharides is amylopectin.
 20. A complex for deliveringphytosterols and fatty acid derivatives thereof for inclusion into afood intermediate having enhanced cholesterol-uptake inhibition asrecited in claim 18, wherein said source of phytosterol based componentis selected from the group consisting of β-sitosterol, stigmasterol,ergosterol, campesterol and fatty acid derivatives thereof andβ-sitostanol, campestanol, stigmastanol and fatty acid derivativesthereof.
 21. A method of communicating a benefit associated with a foodintermediate having enhanced cholesterol-uptake inhibition, comprisingthe steps of; obtaining results from a study using a food intermediateincorporated into a food product having a complex created by mixing andheating a phytosterol based component with a polysaccharide; producing adraft message concerning the results of the study; and generatingadvertising which includes said message indicating that a diet whichincludes said food intermediate containing said complex results in aamount of cholesterol reduction.
 22. A method of communicating a benefitassociated with a food intermediate having enhanced cholesterol-uptakeinhibition as recited in claim 21, including the further step of imagingsaid message on product packaging.